From Tbilisi to KEDGE: How Saad Left Georgia Behind and Won His France Student Visa

The message that started it

When Saad first contacted our Lahore office, he was already living in Tbilisi. On paper he had done the brave thing: he had left Pakistan to study abroad. But the further he went, the clearer it became that the road in front of him was narrow. He was not asking me for a miracle. He was asking a simple question: “Is there a better option for my future, and can I still take it from here?”

That question deserves an honest answer, so let me start with what I see every month.

What I hear from Pakistani students in Georgia

Georgia is affordable and easy to enter, which is why so many of our young people go. But in conversation after conversation, the same worries come up:

• The degree may not open the doors you expected. Outside medicine, a Georgian degree is still little known to employers in Europe, the Gulf or back home. In medicine, Pakistani officials have publicly acknowledged problems with colleges abroad being delisted and with graduates’ registration and exams on return, and Georgia is among the countries named.
• The rules are getting tighter. In 2026 Georgia’s parliament moved to tighten study residence permits: language certificates, a national database of foreign students, and permits that can be cancelled for poor academic standing or for breaking work conditions.
• Part time work is limited and poorly paid. Many students hoped to support themselves; most find the job market small and wages low, especially without Georgian.
• No clear road after graduation. Georgia is not part of the Schengen area, and there is no well known post study route that turns a degree into a European career.
• Too many unclear promises. Students tell me they were sold a dream by someone who disappeared after the fee was paid.

None of this means Georgia is wrong for everyone. It means that for an ambitious student who wants an international business career, it is worth asking whether the next step should be somewhere else.

How we planned Saad’s move to France

From our office in DHA Lahore, our team took Saad’s file from start to finish while he was still in Tbilisi. Here is how I think about a case like his:

1. We started with his career, not the brochure. Before choosing a school, we looked at what he wants to do in five years, and that pointed us towards a French business school.
2. We chose the school and programme with him. As official admissions representatives of KEDGE Business School, we know what the school looks for and how to present a profile honestly.
3. We built a clean admission file. Academic records, a motivation letter in his own voice, and a clear explanation of why he was moving from Georgia to France. A change of country is not a weakness when it is explained well. (See our guide to writing a motivation letter for France.)
4. We prepared the visa file line by line. Proof of funds, accommodation, insurance and every attested document, checked twice. (Our guides on proof of funds for France and attestation and police certificates explain the details.)
5. We prepared him for the questions. Why France, why KEDGE, why now, and what next. Clear, honest answers.

The result: Saad’s French student visa was granted, and he is now preparing to join KEDGE Business School in France. Watching a student move from feeling stuck to holding a real plan is the best part of my job.

Why a French degree is worth it

I have worked with students going to many countries since 2003. For business and management, France keeps standing out, and here is why:

• Grandes écoles with world recognition. France’s top business schools hold the strongest international accreditations and sit high in global rankings. (Read public university vs grande école.)
• You can work while you study. International students in France can work up to 964 hours a year, about 20 hours a week.
• A real bridge to a career. Master’s graduates can stay in France for up to 12 months after graduation on a job search or business creation permit, then move to a work permit once they find a qualifying job.
• The heart of Europe. A French residence permit lets you travel across the Schengen area, and you build a European network while you study.
• Programmes taught in English. Many master’s programmes are fully in English, with French learned along the way. (See English taught programmes in France for 2027.)
• Costs you can plan for. Fees and living costs are clear in advance, and scholarships exist. (See French university fees for 2027, France scholarships for 2027 and the most affordable French student cities.)

Why KEDGE Business School

KEDGE holds the “triple crown” of business school accreditation (AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA), which only a small share of business schools in the world achieve. It has campuses in Bordeaux, Marseille and Paris, around 16,000 students, and a large alumni network. In the QS 2026 subject rankings, its Masters in Management, Marketing and Supply Chain programmes are all placed in the global top 60. For a student like Saad, that means a degree employers recognise, in a country where he can build a career.

My message to every student struggling in Georgia

If you are in Georgia and something feels wrong, listen to that feeling. You did not fail by going there. You were brave. But bravery should lead somewhere. Make 2027 the year you choose France.

Do not wait until your options shrink. Start now: decide your field, check your documents, and talk to someone who will tell you the truth about your chances. For Pakistani applicants, the Études en France window for September 2027 is open now and closes on 18 November 2026. If you live in Georgia, ask us which Campus France process applies to you, because it can depend on where you hold residence.

Saad took the first step by sending one message. Yours can be today.

More reading for your plan: France September 2027 intake from Pakistan, top universities in France for 2027 and the France student visa from Pakistan.

Questions I get asked